MCI CTLR CONCERNED WITH INTERMITTENT; FALSE TWR FIRE ALARMS.

Narrative

CONTINUED PROBS FOR LAST 2 YRS WITH LAST 2 MONTHS AN INCREASE IN FALSE FIRE ALARMS. ON JUL/XA/99; THE FIRE ALARM MONITOR WAS DISABLED IN THE TWR. AIRWAYS FACILITIES WAS CALLED FOR OVERTIME SO THEY COULD MONITOR THE SYS. I BELIEVE THE SIT IS UNSAFE DUE TO THE FREQ OF THE FALSE ALARMS. IF THERE WAS AN ACTUAL FIRE PEOPLE WOULD NOT BELIEVE IT IS A REAL ONE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR ADVISED FALSE EQUIP FIRE ALARMS HAVE BEEN RECURRENT; ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS; SINCE FEB/97; WHEN THE NEW FACILITY WAS COMMISSIONED. FAA TECHNICIANS HAVE; AND CONTINUE TO INVESTIGATE WHEN AN ALARM ACTIVATES; AURAL AS WELL AS CIRCUITRY ALARM. THE RPTR ADVISES THAT THE INSTALLING CONTRACTOR HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO RESOLVE THE FALSE ALARM ISSUE; THOUGH FREQUENTLY CALLED ON SITE. THE RPTR HAS HEARD IN DISCUSSION WITH FAA TECHNICIANS; THAT A BUILDING LIGHTNING STRIKE PRIOR TO COMMISSIONING MAY HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE PROB. TECHNICIANS HAVE BEEN FOCUSING THEIR ATTN TO THE EQUIP ROOM (LOCATED BTWN THE TWR CAB FLOOR AND THE CTLR'S BREAK ROOM; THE FLOOR BELOW); BUT WITHOUT RESOLUTION.